Review by Joel Alpert of

PINKAS HAKEHILLOTLITA

Encyclopeadia of Jewish Communities of Lithuania from their foundation till after the Holocaust

This book is an excellent source book containing
information on about 500 Jewish communities. Written in Hebrew, it
was published by Yad Vashem in 1996 in Jerusalem. The first 107 pages
contain an introduction by Professor Dov Levin (Hebrew University),
followed by an article for each of about 500 shtetlekh (each article
is on average one full oversized page). This book contains a wealth
of information compiled by the editor, Prof. Levin, and the assistant
editor, Josef Rosin, both originally from Lithuania. This book is the
latest authoritative source on Lithuanian Jewish Communities, and
deserves to be translated into English for the benefit of the English
speaking Jews with roots in Lithuania.

[Dr Saul Issroff notes: This book covers Lithuania
as of the outbreak of the Second World War, September 1939. It
therefore excludes Vilna, Sventzionis and other areas of interwar '
Polish' Lithuania.]

The Jewish Communities in Lithuania

(This list is in approximate alphabetical
order, as it appeared in the book in English)

Abelina

Abelnikas

Akmene

Akunik

Aleksandrobolis

Alkiskiai

Alove

Alsedziai

Alunta

Alvitas

Alytus

Andriejava

Antaliepte

Antanavas

Antazave

Antnemunis

Anyksciai

Ariogala

Asminta

Aukstadvaris

Aukstoji Panemune

Avanaste

Azuolu-Buda

Azventis

Babtai

Backininkeliai

Bagaslaviskis

Baisogala

Balbieriskis

Balninkai

Balsiai

Baltiskis

Baltmiskis

Baltusova

Baranas

Bariunai

Barova

Barsenai

Barstyciai

Bartininkai

Batakiai

Bazilionai

Bentzingai

Berzai

Berzgainiai

Berzininkai

Berzole

Betygala

Birstonas

Birzai

Bobri

Bubeliai

Buckunai,Butkunai

Budavone

Budvietis

Buginiai

Bulavenai

Bukonys

Bukta

Burbiskis

Burginiai

Butkunai (Alytus)

Butkunai (Zarasai)

Butrimonys

Cekiske

Cerksbale

Ciobiskis

Dabeikiai

Dabikine

Darbenai

Darsuniskis

Daugai

Daugailiai

Daujenai

Dauksiskis

Deltuva

Devangole

Didkiemis

Dirviniskis

Dotnuva

Dubingiai

Dubininkus

Dubrava

Dusetos

Dvornova

Dvoruka

Erzvilkas

Freda

Gadunavas

Gargzdai

Garliava

Gastinai

Gaure

Geguzine

Geleziai

Gelgaudiskis

Gelvonai

Giedraiciai

Gintaliske

Girkalnis

Graziskiai

Grimzdai

Grinkiskis

Griskabudis

Grudzuniai

Gruslauke

Gruzdziai

Gudeliai

Gudiniskiai

Gudziunai

Igliauka

Ilguva

Imbradas

Indrioniskis

Inkturke

Janapole

Jankai

Jegliskis

Jieznas

Jokubaiciai

Jokubavas

Jonava

Joniskelis

Joniskis (Siauliai)

Joniskis (Utena)

Josvainiai

Jovaravas

Jukniskiai

Juodkaimis

Juodupe

Jurbarkas

Juzintai

Kaimelis

Kaisiadorys

Kalinova

Kaltinenai

Kalvarija

Kamaja

Kapciamiestis

Karklenai

Kartena

Katautiske

Katiliske

Kaloverne

Kaunas

Kaunotavas

Kavarskas

Kazlu-Ruda

Kazokiskes

Kazyliai

Kedainiai

Kelme

Kernava

Keturvalakiai

Kiduliai

Kietaviskes

Klaipeda

Klebiskis

Klovaniai

Klykuoliai

Kovli

Krakes

Kraziai

Krekenava

Kretinga

Kreve

Kriauniai, Kriaunos

Krincinas

Kriukai (Sakiai)

Kriukai (Siauliai)

Kruonis

Kruopiai

Kubiliunai

Kuciunai

Kudirkos Naumiestis

Kulautuva

Kuliai

Kupreliskis

Kupiskis

Kurkliai

Kursenai

Kurtuvenai

Kutkiskes, Kutkiskiai

Kuziai

Kvedarna

Kvetkai

Kvietiskis

Kybartai

Labanoras

Labinava

Laibiskes

Laizuva

Lampedziai

Lanciunava

Lapiai

Laukeliskiai

Laukuva

Laukzeme (Raseiniai)

Laukzemis (Kretinga)

Lazdena

Lazdijai

Leckava

Leipalingis

Lekeciai

Leliunai

Lieplauke

Lieponiai

Linkmenys

Linksmadvaris

Linkuva

Lioliai

Liskiava

Liubavas

Liudvinavas

Lotava

Lucinava (Marijampole)

Lucinava (Raseiniai)

Luksiai

Luoke

Lyduvenai

Lygumai

Madziunai

Marijampole

Marvele

Mauruciai

Mazeikiai

Mazonai

Medingenai

Mergalaukis

Merkine

Meskai

Meskuiciai

Meteliai

Mikalina

Mikaliskis

Mincia

Miroslavas

Misniunenai

Moletai

Mosedis

Musninkai

Nacioniskis

Naujamiestis (Karaimu Naumiestis)

Naujazeris

Naujokai

Nedinge, Nedzinge

Nemaksciai

Nemaniunai, Nemajunai

Nemunaitis

Nemunelio Radviliskis

Nevarenai

Nevieriai

Nociunai

Obeliai

Onuskis (Rokiskis)

Onuskis (Takai)

Pabaiskas

Paberze

Pabirze

Padubysis

Paezereliai

Paerzeriai

Pagegiai

Pagiriai

Pagramantis

Pajevonys

Pajuris

Pakalniskis

Pakriaunis

Pakruojus

Pakuonis

Palacionys

Palanga

Palevene

Paliuniskis

Palonai

Paluobiai

Pamerkiai

Pamuse, Pamusis

Pandelys

Panemunelis

Panemunis

Panevezys

Panosiskes

Panoteriai

Paobeliai

Paparciai

Papile

Papilys

Papyvesiai

Pasasva

Pasiause

Pasusvys

Pasvalys

Pasvitinys

Paupine

Pavandene

Percineliai, Pociuneliai

Perloja

Pernava

Pestininkai

Pilviskiai

Pikeliai

Piniava

Pivasiunai

Plateliai

Ploksciai

Plunge

Pociuneliai

Povaiguva

Pratkunai

Pravieniskes

Preni

Priekule

Prienai

Primusa

Pumpenai

Punia

Pusiauskely

Puskelniai

Pusalotas

Radeikiai

Radute

Radviliskis

Rageliai

Raguva

Raguvele

Ramygala

Raseiniai

Raskovcizna

Raudenai (Marijampole)

Raudenai-Raudenis (Siauliai)

Raudondvaris

Raudone

Ribukai

Rietavas

Rodzanai

Rokenai

Rokiskis

Romanova

Rozalimas

Rudamina

Rudnia

Rumsiskes

Rusne

Sabonis

Sakalyne

Salakas

Salantai

Saldutiskis

Salociai

Salomenka

Sanesiski

Sasnava

Seciai

Seda

Seirijai

Semeliskes

Seredzius

Sergainiskis

Siesikai

Simnas

Sintautai

Skaistgirys

Skapiskis

Skaudvile

Skiemonys

Skirpstauja

Skirsnemune

Skrebatiskis

Skudutiskis

Skuodas

Slavikai

Smalininkai

Smalvos

Smilgiai

Spernia

Stakiai

Stakliskes

Stasiunai

Strevininkai

Subacius

Sudargas (Sudarg)

Sujainiai

Surdegis

Surviliskis

Suvainiskis

Svaboda

Svedasai

Svobiskis

Sakiai

Sakyna

Sateikiai

Saukenai

Saukotas

Seduva

Sestokai

Sesuoliai

Seta

Siaudine

Siaudiniskiai

Siaudvige

Siaulenai

Siauliai

Silai

Silale

Silenai

Silute

Siluva

Simkaiciai

Sirvintos

Sukiskis

Sumskai,Sunskai

Sveksna

Sventezeris

Tartupis

Taujenai

Taurage

Tauragenai

Tavrova

Telsiai

Teneniai

Tirksliai

Traupis

Trepkalnis

Troskunai

Truskava

Tryskiai

Tubines

Turiskis

Turmantas

Turzenai

Tverai

Tytuvenai

Ubila

Ukmerge

Ulinova

Ungarine

Upyna

Upyte

Utena

Uzdubysis

Uzpaliai

Uzuguostis

Uzventis

Vabalninkas

Vadokliai

Vaiguva

Vainutas

Vaitkiskiai

Valeisiskis

Vandziogala

Varena

Varniai

Vasiliskis

Vaskai

Vegeriai

Veisiejai

Veiveriai

Veivirzenai

Veliuona

Vepriai

Verpena

Vezaiciai

Videniskiai

Vidiskiai

Vidukle

Viedziai

Vieksniai

Viesintos

Viesvenai

Vievis

Vikenai

Vikaviskis

Vikiautinis

Vilkija

Virbalis

Visakio-Ruda

Vistytis

Vyzuonos

Ylakiai

Zapyskis

Zarasai

Zadeikiai

Zagare

Zalioji

Zarenai

Zasliai

Zelva

Zemaiciu Kalvarija

Zemaiciu Naumiestis (Neishtot Tavrig)

Zemaitkiemis

Zeimelis

Zeimiai

Zidikai

Ziezmariai

Zuriai

Zvingiai

Zvirbliniai

Zydaviskis

Zydkaimis

Zydvaris

Index of Places

Index of Persons

Total of 748 Pages in Hebrew

The following is taken from the pre-publication announcement of a new bookThe LITVAKSby the same author of the above book PINKAS HAKEHILLOT, Professor Dov Levin. The book contains the translation of the first 107 pages of PINKAS HAKEHILLOT.

THE LITVAKS

A Short History of the Jews in Lithuania

Although Lithuanian Jewish community comprised
a relatively small portion of world Jewry on the eve of the
Holocaust, it has always held a unique place in Jewish history and
been an important cultural center carrying a weight far greater
than its relative size. Lithuania had been famous for centuries as
the cultural center for Jewish scholarship and renowned as great
center of Torah learning. Its many important yeshivot made it
stand out in comparison to neighboring Jewish communities in
Eastern and Central Europe. The Lithuanian Jews, nicknamed
Litvaks, have been charactericed by their rational, intellectual
approach to learning and spiritual matters as well as to
day-to-day affairs.

During the Holocaust, the Lithuanian Jewish
community sustained some of the highest losses among the Jewish
communities in Europe (approximately 95% destroyed), as a result
of the enthusiastic cooperation of the Lithuanians with the
Germans. And yet, when faced with these challenging circumstances,
the Lithuanian Jews demonstrated an unusually strong spiritual and
moral stance as well as an extraordinary level of community
organization.

It is no wonder that many Jews all over the
world, descendants of Lithuanian emigrants, are extremely
interested in their Litvak heritage, and are making tremendous
efforts to reinforce this connection through their search for
roots. Numerous travelers are journeying to the towns and villages
that had been home to their ancestors, tracing the footsteps of
their loved ones who lived there, to their final resting place -
the local Jewish cemetery or a mass grave.

For.all of the above and for many others, this
book may serve as a kind of textbook, and will explain many facts
about Lithuanian Jews and their characteristic phenomena.

The author is Prof. Dov Levin
of the Hebrew University
of Jerusalems Institute of Contemporary Jewry. Historian and
researcher, Prof. Levin is an expert in the field of Eastern
European Jewry, and particularly the history of the Jews of
Lithuania; Yad Vashem has published several of his
books.

The theme and contents of this book serve as a
short history of the Jews of Lithuania from the earliest
settlements in the country until the destruction of the community
in the Holocaust of the Second World War. The book's four main
chronological sections describe the history of Lithuania and its
Jewish residents:

1. Lithuania from the Late Thirteenth to the Late Twentieth Centuries

2. The Jews of Lithuania from the Middle Ages until the end of the First World War

3. The Jews in Independent Lithuania During the Inter-War Period

4. W.W.II and the Holocaust: The Jewish Survivors

Some of the most important historical topics covered are:

Awarding of the certificates of civil privileges as early as the fourteenth century

The Lithuanian Jewish Council that existed for 138 years (1623-1761) that was, in effect, Jewish
self-government

The flourishing of Jewish culture and religious studies, and the importance of the Vilna Jewish
community from the mid-eighteenth century onwards

The Gaon of Vilra, his life work, and its implications for the social-religious sphere

Establishment of the great centers of Jewish learning - the large yeshivot - in the nineteenth
century, and the Jewish nationalistic movements such as Hovevei
Zion, the Bund, the Mizrachi, and others

The establishment of a modern Hebrew Zionist educational system within the framework of cultural
autonomy in the period between the two world wars

From glory to ruin: 1940-1945

PUBLICATION DATE: APRIL 2000

Special features included in THE LITVAKS are:

- 300 pages in Hardcover

- 60 plates and 3 Maps

- Bibliography in seven languages

- Lexicon of place names in both official modern transcription and the traditional spelling used by Jewish residents

- Statistical tables

- Facsimiles of documents and unique photographs many of which appear in print for the first time

This material is made available by JewishGen, Inc.
and the Yizkor Book Project for the purpose of fulfilling our
mission of disseminating information about the Holocaust and
destroyed Jewish communities. This material may not be copied,
sold or bartered without JewishGen, Inc.'s permission. Rights may be
reserved by the copyright holder.

JewishGen, Inc. makes no representations regarding the accuracy of
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Our mission is to produce a translation of the original work and we cannot verify the accuracy of statements or alter facts cited.